Re: Do I really need an arbor press ?

On 4/12/2025 4:49 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:vtepvd$1fud7$1@dont-email.me...
 On 4/12/2025 3:20 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:vtea79$120nh$1@dont-email.me...
>
On 4/11/2025 8:35 PM, Snag wrote:

   Well , the point is moot now cuz I got one ...

>
I have three hydraulic shop presses, but for many small jobs my arbor
press is much faster and more convenient.  I easily use the arbor press
hundreds of times more often than all the hydraulic presses combined.
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I tend to use the milling vise as a light duty press because alignment on parallels etc is easier. The handle force isn't excessive for 1000 Lbs of clamping pressure.
>

Did I mentioned I have a 6 ton (supposedly) arbor press.
-- Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff
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My equipment is meant for the relatively light work typical of electronics and consists of machines appropriate to industrial model, tool makers or prototyping shops, i.e. in the space between hobby and production where I operated.

That is a broad space and all of it overlaps.  I started selling molds made on a Taig CNC mill years ago.

An ad for the Heavy 10 lathe recommends it for short production, tool-room and maintenance. The collection would have been an inventor's dream in the 1960s when it was all new and tight, now it shows its 60+ year age.

Plenty of wannabe experts will say that old stuff is better than many of the new import machines I run today.  They would be wrong.  If they were both in new condition at the same time it might be, but its rare a 60 year old machine is going to be better.

 It is NOT money-making production machinery which is why it was available and affordable. It's probably too small for practical ore processing projects, the machines I've made with it challenged its capacity. Segway had a 15" lathe and 12x48(?) Bridgeport, both CNC,

12x48 was likely the table size.  The series 1 I have (still on the trailer) may have a table that size, but if I recall its travel is either 11 or 12 by 18.  I have a mill (manual) in the back that is sold as a 12 x54, but its travels are 16 by 35 (maybe 36).

which accommodated larger projects. Both were more awkward to use than my machines for my usually cut-and-try small parts and off-sized repairs.
 

I have debated something like a watch maker's lathe for smaller parts, but I can usually muddle by with the 14x40.   I also consider the Taig 5C CNC lathe.  Its basically a Taig mill with a lathe spindle instead of a column.  I kept the Harbor Freight 8.5x18 for small parts, but I haven't turned it on in over a year.  Might be time to use it as a boat anchor, and hope the rope breaks.  Nah, it still works kinda sorta.
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff
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